Washington Winter Beer Fest

Take a break from the holiday melee (which may include cranky relatives) and reinvigorate your weary soul with brewski samples from more than 30 local breweries at the Washington Winter Beer Fest. Hosted by the Washington Beer Commission at Hale’s Palladium in the nebulous land of Frelard, the fest’s lineup includes dark, malty stouts, robust winter warmers and barrel-aged gems from local brewmasters, such as those at Slippery Pig Brewery in Poulsbo, Gig Harbor’s 7 Seas Brewing and SoDo’s Two Beers Brewing Co. Each day, tasters vote on their favorite brews for the coveted “People’s Choice” awards while savoring chocolate bites from Theo and maybe even doing a bit of shopping; surely auntie would appreciate a new pint glass.

December 7

5pm

December 8

12pm

Hale’s Palladium

4301 Leary Way NW

$23 advance/$25 at the door; designated drivers/$5; tickets include a tasting cup and six pours; additional pours available for $1.50 each